Artificial ear-drum



1; (No Model.)

I H. P. K. PEGK'.

ARTIFICIAL EAR DRUM.

No. 351,398. I Patented Oct. 26, 1886.

I \/E El QNWLQXMW I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOMER P. K. PEOK, OF BROOKLYN, NEWV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO FREEMAN HISOOX, OF' NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

ARTIFICIAL EAR-DRUM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 351,398, dated October 26, 1886.

Applieationfiled November Q0, 1885. Serial No. 183,450. (No model.) 7

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HOMER P. K. PEOK, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Appliance for the Relief of Deafness, of which the following specification is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference inarked thereon.

Figure 1 is a central axial section of the an tificial ear-drum, the stem being in side view. Fig. .2 is an inside View of the artificial eardrum without an inner elastic disk; Fig. 3, a perspective View of the elastic or expansible ear-tube and eardrum holder; Fig. 4, an inner end View of the same; Fig. 5, a longitudinal central section of the same, cutting between spring clamp-bars which hold the stem of the artificial ear-drum; Fig. 6, an inner end view of the ear-tube represented as holding the stem of the artificial. ear-drum; Fig. 7, a longitudinal section cutting across the center of the clamp-bars; Fig. 8, a similar section of the ear-tube, showing also a side view of the artificial eardrum inserted in proper position in the ear-tube.

In the drawings, a denotes the elastic disk or artificial tynipanum, secured by cement or otherwise to the skeleton collar b, attached to the end of stem 0.

(1 denotes the air-vent through the collar 1) and disk a.

The expansible tube and stem holder A may be made in two, three, or more sections, efg, secured at their inner ends by a thin band or otherwise, and arranged to curve outwardly by, and being formed of spring metal, silver being preferable,will cause outward pressure, when inserted in the outer ear, and press the rear portion of the cartilage of the car backward and open the auditory passage. Across the inner end of this expansible tube two thin flat bars, t i, made of elastic metal and secured side by side, each having a small semicircular curve at the middle, which together form an aperture smaller than the diameter of, the stem 0 of the artificial ear drum, and through which the latter will be forced and held adjustable, as in a spring-clamp.

My present invention is an improvement on the artificial ear-drum describedin my patent dated December 14, 1880, numbered 235,566, in which the metal collar is described as cushioned over by a soft flexible disk, serving as a membrana tympani, and provided with an larger than the auditory passage of the human ear to retain them in proper relation to the membrane. tympani. The large elastic disks in some instances, particularly whenthe auditory passages were small, become obstructive of their efficiency, and were uncomfortable to the person wearing them. The present improvements obviate these objections, because the holder of the stem 1' i will retain the artificial ear-drum in proper position, even when smaller in diameter than the natural eardrum, and will permit its adjustment and afford the means of the most careful, delicate pressure upon the natural ear-drum.

Another important feature of this invention consists in forming the collar upon which the elastic disk is secured. of fine spring-wire, whereby the entire face of the elastic disk becomes fiexible and capableof self-adjustment upon the natural ear-drum or any portion thereof. not absent or destroyed. This new feature also obviates the objections to the bulky and rigid central portion of the artificial ear-drum disk, which in some cases causes discomfort to the wearer. It therefore becomes apparent that the combination of the artificial ear-drum stem with a holder in which the stem may be adjusted and retained enables the user to employ a drum. not only with a small disk, but of the most delicate and suitable material, as its retention in place in the car will not depend on its size and thickness, which were necessary, as heretofore made, in order to cause it to retain its position and perform thefunction of an artificial ear-drum, as above mentioned.

The holder, which serves as a clamp to hold the artificial ear-drum in any position to which it can be adjusted, also performs another office tributary to the object sought-namely, the opening of the outer portion of the auditory passage or meatus, and pressing the rear portion of the cartilage outward, which alone will quicken the sense of hearing. This pressure will be analogous to the manipulation of the auricle practiced by many people who have become dull of hearing, and which assists the auditory organs.

The perforated elastic disk at affords complete means of ventilation between the coils of the skeleton wire collar, the use of which obviates the necessity of drilling holes through a solid metal collar, as heretofore used.

HOMER P. K. PECK.

Witnesses:

W. 0. 1 1301;, ARTHUR S. Bnowxn. 

